Mortens scientific achievements include identification of the source of magnetism of Martian dust and soil; participation in proving the presence of water ice in the Martian sub-surface by NASAs Phoenix lander; participation in establishing on the surface that Gale crater once supported running water in form of rivers.

Morten has a broad interest in the exploration of Mars and has contributed to all of NASA’s landed missions on the planet since (and including) the Mars Pathfinder mission. Presently, he is Co-Investigator on the Mastcam-Z instrument, and the MOXIE experiment and Collaborator on the SuperCam instrument, all on board NASAs Mars 2020 rover. Morten is also Co-Investigator on the HABIT instrument on ESAs ExoMars 2018 surface platform and on NASAs Opportunity rover. From 2011 to 2016 Morten was Co-Investigator (Participating Scientist) on NASAs Curiosity rover.

Participating Scientist on NASA’s “Curiosity”-rover (Mars Science Laboratory), competitively selected November 2011. Co-Investigator on NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander mission since December 2003. Co-Investigator on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers since 2001. Interested in mineralogy and dynamics of dust and soils on the Martian surface.

Co-author of more than 120 publications in peer reviewed international journals.